Is it even possible that you have managed to miss the recent sensation caused
by this mysterious Iran-based artist?! A couple of months ago some scattered
songs surfaced on the internet from an artist by the name of Benyamin, who
later showed himself to be Benyamin Bahadori! Given the man’s background
as a Noheh/Rozeh-khaan and composer of music for recorded religious/moral anecdotes
for children, it wasn’t totally a surprise that what characterised his
style and sound was summed up by updated and revised versions of the traditional
religious chants and hymns used commonly by the men in his profession. Something
Koveitipour did years ago by turning pieces like “Amme, Baabaayam Kojaast” to
today’s broadly embraced “Change Del”, even though not much
of the ornamentation, religious vibe and generic pace is changed! It should
be mentioned that our music in general and the POP music in particular is not
completely untouched and uninspired by the religio-cultural vein hidden and
beating under the skin of our society. In fact the Persian-BLUES/ARABESQUE
style currently practised in LA with Moein as its front-figure has its roots
in the very same vein! That’s how it manages to rub the right nerve and
provoke passion and sentiments in many of Iranians regardless of their current
geographical location and social background! Also many of the artists who emerged
after the Khordad 2nd were of the same religio-musical background, since it
was the main musical genre that was accepted and allowed to be practised broadly
in public prior to that era. Benyamin, however, has now released his official
album entitled “85”, in which he has only included two of those
previously available songs. Interesting enough ONLY those two that have been
revised lyrically beyond recognition to a more romantic theme! This album features
9 tracks and is composed by Benyamin himself in an elaborate collaboration
with Farid Ahmadi as the lyricist and Nima Varasteh as the arranger. Released
on Avaye Nakisa.

The album kicks off with a HI-NRG track strongly reminiscent of the first
released song featured later on this album, “Khaaterehat”. “Loknat”,
however, is a song with ITALO-DISCO influences and a rather amusing and creatively “stammering” theme!

Next comes “Aashegh Shodam”, a mid-tempo LATIN-POP inspired song
with a whirling violin! A rather clean production.

And now to the first HIT of the album, “Khaaterehaa” aka “Donya”!
This song is a EURO-/HI-NRG remake of an ultra-religious hymn for “Hazrate
Abbas” sung inside the country! Of course are the lyrics rewritten and
every religious reference removed, but if you listen closely you can still
feel the mourning sway and wailing in the flow of this song! The album version
is further rearranged than the first leaked out version of the song, for the
worse unfortunately while the crisp performance has been overworked.

“Inam Bemoone” is a TRANCE-NRG fare with a rather loose hook,
otherwise a well-engineered piece of recording that bears to be further defined
around the chorus!

Now comes my favourite track on the album! A rather enchanting LOVE-SONG of
a calibre seldom heard in the Iranian market today! Fresh and engaging in its
theme and vocal performance. “Yaadam Miaad” is a ballad with an
autumnal flair and a melancholic flow that just begs to be a FILM-SCORE track!!
With a hard work and focus on an own elaborate style of love songs Benyamin
has the potential to find his niche!

Next comes an Electro-NRG fare with references to the style of Ghomayshi and
of course Kamran & Hooman’s “Age Eshghe Man To Nisti”!
I just cant avoid being seduced by the flickering post-chorus sound!

Another song with a very good initial potential which bears to have its loose
composition further defined is “Man Emshab Mimiram”. A rhythmic
ballad that reminds of “Aashegh Shodam”, with subtle references
to the British POP sound!

“Taraaneye Vaazhe” is the second HIT from the album. It’s
an NRG song with a rather simple yet charming lyrical spine consisted of a
SIMPLISTIC vocabular theme! Even this version is further rearranged.

And to wrap up the album comes a EURO-NRG song called “Aadam Aahani”,
which is rather clever in its approach to the cliché-theme on the “artificial
intelligence“ and “mechanised society” that has been worn
out in most literary and artistic forums by now! But even though the song is
more refined than its older siblings produced in the Persian industry (Morteza’s “Robot” among
many) it still suffers from lyrical underdevelopment!

The themes aside, I must say that I was much more impressed by the quality
of the excluded songs than the featured ones on “85“! While songs
arranged by Ali Pakdaman or songs like “Banooye Man” and “Ye
Pahlevoon” were elaborate and current in arrangement and production,
these nonreligious ones sound premature and underdeveloped in comparison! The
ornamentation and intonation of the man is still the same, but hardly favoured
by engaging lyrics. Benyamin’s voice as a great medium to embody the
soul of an album, IF ONLY “85” had a true lyrical soul incorporated!
It feels almost as if this entire album was a RUSHED JOB, hastily compiled
and produced in order to catch the commercial wave caused by the recent hysteria!?
Benyamin is talented and ambitious, no doubt about it, and he is trying his
best to find his own style and sound “as soon as possible“! And
therein lies the factor of a possible failure! He should give it time and explore
further before rushing into releases. A long term plan would be perfect for
an artist with such enormous future-potential, a balanced strategy and ambition
that allows “Benyamin” to breathe and grow as an artist!